Florence Next Time

Had a nice afternoon today at Railway Recreational Chess Club in Florence with the Bartolini-Tocchioni family. Pictured, right to left, are Doriano, Pietro and Tommaso.

The Eye of the Needle

Simone De Filomeno – Doriano Tocchioni
47th Italian Team Chess Championship; Civitanova Marche, April 30, 2015
Nimzo-Indian Defence E35

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 0-0 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4 c5 10. Ne2 c4 11. Bf5 Nb6 12. 0-0 Bxf5 13. Qxf5 Qd7 14. Ng3!? Just an improvisation – as they say, a theoretical novelty. The “book” line 14. Qf3 Nh7! also does not worry Black, Comas Fabregó – Oll, Santa Bàrbara 1991. 14. ... Qxf5 15. Nxf5 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Ne4 17. Rfc1 g5 18. Bg3 Kh7?! This looks like a superfluous move as after the straightforward 18. ... Na4 19. Nxh6+ Kh7 Black would regain his Pawn with interest. 19. f3 Nxg3 20. hxg3 Kg6 21. g4 h5 22. a4! White’s advantage is here quite manifest. In such a position Tocchioni will find it very difficult to defend. 22. ... hxg4 23. fxg4 Rad8 24. Kf2 Nc8 25. Rcb1! This subtle Rook reculer pour mieux sauter is indeed a striking move and a very hard one to find! Another tempting way to go right (obviously on the left!) might have been 25. Rh1 Rh8 26. Rxh8 Rxh8 27. Rb1 b6 28. Rb5 and White’s position is imposing as well. 25. ... b6 26. Kf3 Kf6? Also after 26. ... Nd6 27. a5! White gets on top, but there is nothing better to recommend. 27. a5 Ke6 28. axb6 axb6 29. Rb5 f6 30. Ra8 Rf7? Allows De Filomeno to liquidate into a won endgame. Tocchioni ought to play 30. ... Rh8, although after 31. Ra6 White retains his dominant position.

31. Rxc8! A captivating and brilliant solution. The finish is neat and quick. 31. ... Rxc8 32. Rxb6+ Kd7 33. Nd6 Rb8 34. Rxb8 Kxd6 35. Rb6+ Kc7 36. Ra6 Rf8 37. e4 dxe4+ 38. Kxe4 Re8+ 39. Kd5 Re2 40. Rxf6 Rxg2 41. Kxc4 Rxg4 42. Kc5 1 : 0.

Simone De Filomeno vs. Doriano Tocchioni
Photo: Giordano Macellari

道林的画像

Simone De Filomeno – Doriano Tocchioni
4th International Tournament; Assisi, December 21, 2008
Nimzowitsch Defence B00

1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6. Danish Grandmaster Bent Larsen – quite a habitué of the Nimzowitsch Defence – usually preferred 3. ... dxe4 4. d5 Nb8, not always with luck; for instance: 5. Bf4 a6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 c5 9. dxc6 Nxc6 10. Rd1 Qa5 11. Bd2 Nd4? 12. Nxe4! Qd8 (12. ... Nxe2 13. Bxa5+−) 13. Qe3 Nxe4 14. Bb4!± Keres – B. Larsen, Stoccolma 1967. 4. e5 Ne4 5. Nce2 f6. After 5. ... Bf5 6. f3! Black is already in trouble, van der Sterren – Faase, Wijk aan Zee 1981. 6. Nf4. The alternative is 6. f3 Ng5 7. Bxg5 fxg5 8. Qd2 e6 9. f4 Be7 10. Nh3 gxf4 11. Nexf4 0-0 12. Be2 b6 13. c3 with an edge for White, Nadyrhanov – Vlassov, Saint Petersburg 1994. 6. ... g6. Not 6. ... Bf5 7. g4 Bg6? (7. ... Bc8 8. f3 Ng5 9. h4 Ne6 10. Bb5) because of 8. f3± Ng5? (8. ... fxe5 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. fxe4 e6 11. g5±) 9. h4 fxe5 10. dxe5 Nf7 11. e6 Nfe5 12. h5+− Mrsevic – Bubanja, Sutomore 2004. 7. Bb5. If 7. f3 then 7. ... Ng5 8. Bd3 Bg7 9. Nge2 Nf7 10. exf6 exf6 11. c3 Ne7 12. 0-0 c6 13. Re1 0-0 14. Ng3 Nd6 15. Qc2 Re8 16. Bd2 ½ : ½ Lehtioksa – Heinola, Tampere 1987. 7. ... Bg7 8. f3 Ng5 9. h4 Nf7 10. h5 g5 11. h6. Finally at destination. 11. ... Nxh6 12. Nh5 0-0 13. Nxg7 Kxg7 14. f4 Bg4 15. Be2 Bf5 (15. ... Bxe2 16. Nxe2 Nf5=) 16. fxg5 fxg5 17. Bxg5 Nf7 18. Qd2? White ought to have played 18. Bf4! Nb4 19. Rc1 with a clear advantage (if 19. ... Nxa2 then 20. Bd3 etc.). 18. ... Nxd4! 19. Bh6+ Nxh6 20. Qxh6+ (20. Qxd4 c5!? 21. Qh4 Qa5+ 22. c3 Qb6∞) 20. ... Kg8 21. 0-0-0 c5 22. Bd3 Qb6 23. Qg5+ Qg6 24. Qxe7? (24. Qxg6+ hxg6 25. Bxf5 Rxf5 26. c3 Nc6 27. Rxd5 Rxe5∓) 24. ... Rae8? (24. ... Bxd3 25. cxd3 Rf7 26. Qh4 Qxg2 27. Rh2 Qg6∓; 24. ... Nxc2 25. Bxf5 Qxf5∓) 25. Qxc5 Nxc2? (25. ... Bxd3 26. Qxd5+ Kh8 27. Qxd4 Bxc2∓) 26. Qxd5+ Kh8 27. Bxf5 Rxf5 28. Qd3? (28. Qd6 Re6! 29. Qb8+ Re8 30. Qd6 Re6=)

28. ... Rc8 (28. ... Nb4! 29. Qd7 Nxa2+ 30. Kb1 Nc3+!−+) 29. Kb1 Ne3? (29. ... Nb4! 30. Qe4 Rc4! 31. Qxc4 Rf1+ 32. Kc1 Qg5+−+) 30. Nf3 (30. Re1 Rf1!−+) 30. ... Nxd1 31. Rxd1 Rf7 32. Qxg6 hxg6 33. a3 Kg7 34. Rd4 Rc6 35. Rd8 Rc4 36. Rd6 Re7 37. Rd2 Kh6 38. Ka2 g5 39. Kb3 Rf4? (39. ... Re4!−+ Δ ... g5-g4) 40. Re2 g4 41. Nd2 Kg6 42. Nc4 Rd4 43. Kc3 Rd8 44. a4 Kg5 45. g3 Rc7 46. b3 Kf5 47. Kc2 Rd4 48. Kb2 Ke6 49. Kc3 Kd5 50. Re1 Re4 51. Rd1+ Ke6 52. Rd6+ Kf5 53. Kd3 Re1 54. Kd2 (54. Rf6+! Kg5 55. Kd4 Re7=) 54. ... Rg1 55. Rd3? (55. Rf6+! Ke4 56. Rf4+ Kd5 57. Rxg4 Rf7) 55. ... Rg2+ 56. Kc3 Rf2 57. Rd4 Rd7+ 58. Nd6+ Ke6 59. Ke4 (59. Rd1 Rh2−+) 59. ... Re2+ 60. Re3 Rxe3+ 61. Kxe3 Kxe5 62. Nc4+ Kf5 63. Nd2 Re7+ 64. Kd3 Re1 65. b4 Ra1 0 : 1.

失禮 (Faux pas)

Doriano Tocchioni – Simone De Filomeno
ii Weekend FirenzeScacchi; Firenze, 28 ottobre 2007
Attacco Torre D03

1. d4 Cf6 2. Cf3 g6 3. c3 Ag7 4. Ag5 d5 5. Cbd2. Doriano ha scelto l’Attacco Torre (introdotto da Carlos, il messicano), prediletto in anni recenti anche dall’altro Torre (Eugenio, il filippino). 5. ... Af5!? Probabilmente un’improvvisazione. Più solite sono 5. ... 0-0 e 5. ... Cbd7. 6. h3! Un altro modus operandi è 6. Db3; per esempio: 6. ... b6 7. e3 0-0 8. a4 c6 9. h3 Cbd7 10. Aa6 Ce4 11. Cxe4 dxe4 12. Cd2 h6 13. Ah4 g5 14. Ag3 e5 15. Ab7 exd4 16. cxd4 c5 17. 0-0 cxd4 18. exd4 Axd4 19. Dd5 Ae6 20. Dxd4 Cc5 21. De5 Cxb7 22. Cxe4 Rh7 23. Tfd1 De7 24. Td7 1-0 Malaniuk – Goluch, Breslavia 2008. 6. ... 0-0 7. g4 Ae4 8. Ag2 c5 9. e3 Cbd7 10. 0-0 Te8 (10. ... Ad3!?) 11. Axf6 Cxf6 12. g5 Ch5 13. Cxe4 dxe4 14. Cd2 e5?? Uno strafalcione. Simone si è “dimenticato” di premettere 14. ... cxd4 15. cxd4 e5, sebbene dopo 16. d5! Dxg5 17. Cxe4 Dd8 18. d6 il Bianco serbasse una sensibile viniziativa. 15. dxc5 Dxg5 16. Cxe4 De7 17. Cd6. Il Bianco ha posizione dominante. 17. ... Ted8 18. Ad5(?). Sia 18. Db3 che 18. Da4 consolidavano l’imponente vantaggio bianco, ma forse Doriano non si è avveduto della prossima, indiretta risorsa... 18. ... Cf6! 19. b4. (19. Axf7+? Dxf7!) 19. ... e4 20. Tc1? Avremmo preferito – e non per dogmatismo – 20. Ac4 Td7 21. Db3 Tf8 22. Tad1 con manifesto vantaggio bianco. 20. ... Cxd5 21. Dxd5 Ae5 22. Tfd1

22. ... Dg5+? Un altro faux pas. Dopo 22. ... Td7! 23. Td4! Axd4 24. cxd4 Te8 25. b5 Dd8 26. a4 b6 la posizione è controversa, ma all’apparenza per il Nero sostenibile. 23. Rf1 Txd6. Non è un sacrificio di Qualità à la Petrossiàn, ma anche dopo 23. ... De7 24. Td4! Axd4 25. cxd4 la preponderanza pedonale del Bianco diverrà presto decisiva. 24. cxd6 Df5 25. Re1 Td8 26. d7 Rg7 27. Dxb7 Df3 28. Db5 Ag3. Spes, ultima dea. 29. De2 Dh1+ 30. Df1 Df3 31. fxg3 Dxe3+ 32. De2 Dxg3+ 33. Df2. Dopodiché è un massacro. 33. ... Dxh3 34. Dd4+ Rf8 35. Dh8+ Re7 36. De5+ Rf8 37. Dxe4 Dg3+ 38. Rf1 Dh3+ 39. Dg2 Df5+ 40. Rg1 h5 41. Tf1 Dxd7 42. Dxg6 De7 43. Txf7+! Prima il piacere... 43. ... Dxf7 44. Tf1 1 : 0.

Doriano Tocchioni (Florence Move 2013)

The Electric Horseman

Florence today, on Sunday, October 20, 2013, in the elegant halls of Palagio di Parte Guelfa, after a very long time, I met and embraced again — and shooted on the spot! — a very special friend: Doriano Tocchioni.

Believe or not, I was lucky that I took the picture at the right time: White to move and win (Nc3-d1-e3-g4).

Mission: Impossible

Despite the ups and downs of its exotic star Judit Polgár, Chieti hit the predictions and emerged as the winner of the 40th Italian Team Chess Championship in the Aosta Valley, ahead of the very fierce teams of Lecce’s “Salentina” and “Vimar” Marostica. Florence’s DLF (Railway Recreational Chess Club) featured an all-italian and “almost” all-Florentine representative. If “those cursed Tuscans” could not avoid relegation, at least they had the honour of playing with so much highly titled opponents... and not in a simultaneous display! Here is Doriano Tocchioni at the board with Judit Polgár:

Doriano Tocchioni – Judit Polgár
40th Italian Team Chess Championship; Arvier, May 2, 2008
Torre Attack D03

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. c3 b6. Same beach, same sea the next round as well (in the afternoon of the same day): 5. ... 0-0 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. e4 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Nb3 Qe4+ 11. Qe2 Qf5 12. h3 Rd8 13. g4 Qf4 14. Qe3 Qa4 15. Bg2 Be6 16. Nfd2 ½ : ½ D. Tocchioni – Martorelli, 40th Italian Team Chess Championship, Arvier 2008.
6. Bxf6!? They both play on their own ideas.
6. ... exf6!?

7. e3. The Copernican 7. h4!? was here worth considering.
7. ... 0-0 8. Bb5. Definitely not the ideal destination for the light-square Bishop. 8. h4!? was still deserving of consideration.
8. ... Bb7 9. a4 c5. The impelling threat is ... c5-c4.
10. Be2. The Bishop goes almost all the way back home. However, it can be noted that after 10. a5 Na6 11. 0-0 Nc7 the Bishop should retreat to e2 anyway.
10. ... Nc6 11. 0-0 f5 12. g3. Otherwise ... f5-f4 would follow.
12. ... Rc8 13. Qb1 Qe7 Threatens ... c5xd4.
14. Bb5. Certainly the comings and goings of the Bishop constitute a leitmotif of White’s strategy.
14. ... Na5 15. Rc1 c4

16. b4. An only move but a very easy one to play, as otherwise after ... a7-a6 the Bishop is doomed.
16. ... cxb3 17. Nxb3 Nc4 18. Nbd2 Nd6 19. Bf1. Home sweet home for the indefatigable commuter.
19. ... Ba8 20. Qb4 Rc7 21. a5 b5 22. a6 Rfc8 23. Rab1. Doriano defended himself like a lion!
23. ... Rb8 24. Nb3 Bf8 25. Ne5. If, instead, 25. Nc5 there might follow 25. ... Nc4 with better chances for Black.
25. ... Ne4

26. Na5?? A farewell to arms. 26. Qa5 would be playable although 26. ... Rc4! may offer Black chances for the initiative. White’s best was probably 26. Qxe7 Bxe7 27. Nc5 Bxc5 28. dxc5 f6 29. Nf3 Rxc5 30. Nd4 Nd6 31. Rb4 Rb6 32. Rcb1 with a very drawish-looking endgame.
26. ... Qe6 0 : 1. And Tocchioni resigned in disgust, as he cannot avoid the loss of a valuable Pawn (26. ... Nxc3 was also possible, if not better). Polgár’s victory was won by most economic means.

Judit got the most with minimum cost. Photo: Federazione Scacchistica Italiana.